City - Where We Should Improve

Following on from yesterday's piece on where City have gone wrong in the transfer market. Now, it's time to ponder how they could correct their errors.

First and foremost, I'd like to establish the positions where I think need improving and could be at a reasonable cost, before going into detail with names and such.

Deep-lying playmaker

Or for the Football Manager hardcores/ Italians among us, the regista. For me, picking up one of these is absolutely crucial to our success in the Champions League. In recent years, United's success has come with Scholes, Barcelona's with Xavi and Milan's came with Pirlo. Our inability to keep the ball when Silva is out of the team is astonishing.

In some ways, not getting Verratti over the summer before PSG picked him up hurts me just as much as missing out on Hazard does, because in case he had any, which he undoubtedly did, Verratti is proving his doubters wrong and showing that he truly is a great player and at only 19 (20 on Monday), PSG look to have got themselves a future star. But that chapter has been written and unless PSG's owners bugger off, leaving the club in the toilet, he won't be going anywhere soon.

The point remains though, we really could do with one, it's just about finding one and fitting him in.

• Nuri Sahin - At Dortmund, Sahin was phenomenal, receiving the Bundesliga player of the year award in 2011. He hasn't impressed so much thus far at Liverpool but if we could tempt Real Madrid into selling him in the summer, I'd definitely take him as he'd cost very little I think.
• Xabi Alonso - On the other hand, if they weren't to sell him, this begs the question as to what would happen with Alonso, as his contract is running down and they have Modric as well remember. A long shot but one to keep an eye on maybe?
• Ever Banega - Providing we could prevent his car from running over his own foot again, Banega would be an fantastic and cheap acquisition that would fill the void that needs to be filled with ease. An accomplished passer with both feet, Banega is cool, calm and also feisty, and despite potentially being cheap, certainly couldn't be counted as a 'bargain-bucket' signing.
• Hernanes - Hear me out here, I know when he's been deployed deep for Lazio it hasn't exactly worked out but it's a different kettle o' fish over here and his passes would be exploiting space that can't be found from deep in Italy because of the pace of their game. I think it would work, what would be difficult would be getting someone who is essentially a god-like figure away from Rome.
• Jordy Clasie - Although much of the talk in the Eridivisie maybe about Ajax's youth products, Clasie for me is without doubt the standout player in that league. At only 21, he's a fantastic talent and already an awesome player. His wikipedia will telly uo that he's been labelled as 'the Dutch Xavi', I don't know who said it, but they're not far off. He wouldn't cost too much and would definitely soften the pain of missing out on Verratti.

Winger

In 2011, we were after Sanchez, and this year, we wanted Hazard, neither happened. Although the latter would have suited us much better in my opinion, Sanchez might have proved just as worthy as with the pace and genuine ability he has and width he provides, he'd fill a pretty gaping hole in our game, one for which Scott Sinclair just doesn't suffice, despite my opinion that he does bring something.

• Pedro - More blind hope than anything, but Pedro would most certainly improve City tenfold. He has got the lot; pace, skill, touch, two excellent feet, scores a bucket-load, brilliant crosser, Barcelona would be crazy to let him go but they've come close to letting him go before, and if they needed to fund a move for Neymar, well, I'd welcome Pedrito with open arms.
• Ezequiel Lavezzi - All is not well with Lavezzi in Paris according to many reports. I'm not sure he takes much selling, blues saw first hand what Lavezzi could do in the Champions League last year. If he becomes available, I'd expect us to make a bid.
• James Rodriguez - Unlike 'Hulk', this lad's talent is no myth, he is the real deal. At just 21, the Porto winger has all the attributes to go as far as he likes in the game but I think leaving Porto is necessary for him to do so, but you know how the Portuguese work, he'd cost a fortune.
• Gerard Deulofeu - Lesser known, and probably less likely then Pedro, but anyway. Deulofeu was the star of Spain's recent U19's euro success and is the cream of Barcelona's current youth setup. There is little chance of him going anywhere but if he ever fancies joining his mate Denis Suarez for a bebida in Manchester soon, maybe Txiki can have a word.

There's no doubt in my mind that we'd have a much more balanced squad with just three strikers and three wingers/attacking midfielders who would challenge for spots in the huge games. If it were completely necessary to have four strikers, surely Guidetti would suffice, it's about time we gave some young lad of ours a proper chance. So that leads me to this.

Striker

We have a few of them, granted, but for reasons given in my last post, I feel City would be better served selling Dzeko and Balotelli and in turn buying just one striker, along with a pacey winger-cum-attacking midfielder. It would have to be someone who is primarily reliable, because one way or another, neither Dzeko nor Balotelli are. There aren't that many potentially available, but let's have a look:

• Falcao - He sounds the obvious choice, and that's because he is. Falcao is without doubt the best number nine in the world. His movement is untraceable aggressive. His finishing is instinctive and clinical, and for a man who stands only 5'10'' tall, his aerial ability is phenomenal. The Atlético de Madrid striker certainly wouldn't come cheap, his buyout clause is believed to be 60 million euro, and even then I believe only Spanish clubs can trigger it, but he's certainly worth it.
• Gonzalo Higuain - Not everyone's cup of tea, but there's no doubt that Higuain is a goal machine, having scored 98 goals in just 172 league games for Madrid. For that reason, there are question marks regarding his availability, and if he were to become available, would it mean Aguero going the other way. If so it's a 'no', but he's definitely worth looking at.
• Robert Lewandowski - The Pole joined German club Borussia Dortmund in 2010 and having struggled in his first season, bagged thirty goals in all competitions last year for the German League and Cup winners. United were linked with him consistently throughout the summer and possibly with good reason as he's already scored fourteen for Dortmund so far this term. At only 24 he's yet to reach his peak, he's not even near it, and I would definitely cost less than the Cavanis and Falcaos of this world. As an aside though, we all know that Dzeko is actually very talented, he simply struggles in our system. Lewandowski strikes me as a similar goalscorer to Dzeko just less cumbersome and a better all-round footballer. 
• Leandro Damiao - The 23-year-old was fantastic during the Olympics, showing the sort of form he shows week in, week out in the Brazilian Serie A, scoring six goals in five games. I have a sneaky feeling we may go after this lad.

NB: I understand there are many other names and possibilities, especially in terms of registas and strikers, but I haven't the time to go into extensive detail. Interested to hear your suggestions though.